Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Students enrolled in our course are encouraged to write for the course blog, and to read and comment on posts from students at other participating universities. The blog offers students the opportunity to analyze current events through the lens of the theory and case studies they engage with through the course.

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

The Consequences of Populism: Evo Morales and the 2019 Bolivian Crisis

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

Bolivia is often overshadowed by its neighboring countries– Brazil to the east, Chile to the west, and Argentina to the south. Similar to these countries, Bolivia...

Marijuana Decriminalization as a Method of Democratization

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

On October 6, 2022, President Joe Biden announced a mass presidential pardon of all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. In his statement, he emphasized...

Black Political Organizers Summit by Janice Williams

Apr 28, 2019 | Georgia State University

The political event I decided to go to was the “Black Political Organizers Summit”. The main goal of the event was made for African American women in the world who all wanted to come together...

What the Election Result Dispute Means for Indonesian Democracy by Jenny W. Xiao

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

Early results of the 2019 Indonesian elections indicate that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has secured a second term in office. A quick vote count on April 17 shows that Widodo won 55% of the vote,...

Engaging With The Community By Kenya Shaw

Apr 28, 2019 | Georgia State University

Over my spring break, I went to a political event called “How Journalists and The Public Shape our Democracy.” This political event was held in Gwinnett County at their public library. For those who...

Donald Trump Called the Mueller Investigation a “Coup.” Here’s Why that Rhetoric is so Dangerous by Emily Morrison

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

In an appearance on Fox New's Hannity, Donald Trump continued to escalate his attacks on any attempts at oversight of his administration. Trump, in a lengthy rant about the Mueller Investigation,...

An “Unusual” Type of Left Wing Member by Loredana Iacovelli

Apr 27, 2019 | Georgia State University

Throughout a diverse crowd full of women, my eyes were brought to focus on one particular person who you would think was there with the opposite intention than the reason for the gathering. If you...

Women’s Equality by Brieana Burke

Apr 27, 2019 | Georgia State University

On March 9, 2019, I attended a democratic meeting for Cobb county called Donuts with Democrats, at the Smyrna Community Center. I was very excited to go because I had never been to any type of...

The American Media: Friend or Foe?

Apr 27, 2019 | University of Chicago

Cable News: War of Ideology By Lukus Berber The University of Chicago American democracy has never been easy. Americans today have evolved since the days of duels and outright assaults on the House...

A Tradition of Empowerment: The Georgia League of Women Voters by Sara Rosendorf

Apr 27, 2019 | Georgia State University

For this blog post, I will be covering a “digital event” while currently residing in Utrecht, the Netherlands. I will explore the works done by the League of Women Voters, with an emphasis to the...

The Core of Democracy in a Community by Baylee Gunnells

Apr 27, 2019 | Georgia State University

The Core of Democracy in a Community The input that a community has in programs and services that are offered by the county presents the ideologies of democratic norms. Thus, stated in...